This article is designed to provide the reader with three different designs from which to choose when planning a possible publication for the "GSCA Journal". The first focuses on writing up the best practices school counselors already utilize. The second suggests using a six-step accountability model to document the data of student outcomes. The…

School counseling is a relative newcomer in the landscape of helping professions. Although the school counseling profession has roots in Davis' "guidance" curriculum introduced in the Grand Rapids, Michigan public school system's curriculum in 1907 and Parson's Vocational Bureau Movement of 1909, much has changed over the last 100 years. As a…

This paper examines the implementation of the Pyramid of Interventions (POI) at a suburban Georgia Middle School through an examination of teacher understanding, assessment of overall effectiveness, and the need for further professional development. The Pyramid of Interventions is the response to intervention (RTI) component of the Individuals…

The literature was reviewed and summarized to provide common interpretations of human figure drawings. Basic guidelines for interpreting human figure drawings (i.e., face and head, body, arms and hands, and legs and feet) are presented. Expectations for students at different developmental levels (ages 1 1/2 through adolescence) are identified, and…

Professional school counselors in the 21st century are challenged to respond to the individual needs of their students as well as responding to the needs of families and communities. In 2003, the American School Counseling Association's (ASCA) National Model addressed advocacy as one of its' themes. Counselors-in-training and professional school…

The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model (2003) indicates a paradigm shift in school counseling programs from service-centered for some of the students to program-centered for every student. The main question is how students are different as a result of participating in school counseling programs. As a result professional…

College access and subsequently college attendance rates of students of color, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and those who would be first-generation college students are still significantly below second generation students and European-Americans. The gap exists because the dissemination of college information is inconsistent and…

As key players in the school, professional school counselors have many roles and tasks however not all are trained with the same curriculum. In the state of Georgia, school counselor training is becoming more similar than different because all university system programs are mandated by the Board of Regents (BOR) to become accredited by the Council…

This article presents an eight-step model for the school counselor implementing action research at the local school. The article reviews the current literature on the need for school counseling research at the practitioner level. Action research and outcome research practices are discussed as they pertain to the field of school counseling.

This action research study (ARS) describes teacher perceptions of various career guidance instruments in one high school and their impact on high school students in career decision-making. The paper also discusses the teacher ranking of the career guidance methods and ways in which counselors and teachers can work together to assist students to…

Research indicates that schools do not always provide students with the skills they need for successful transitions to postsecondary education and work. A transition gap is particularly prevalent for "at-risk" students who have difficulty relating learning to future education and career aspirations. A high school counselor, language arts teacher,…

Professional school counselors experience unique challenges as they struggle to provide information to parents about self-injurious behaviors and methods to cope with adolescents who self-injure. This paper explores self-injurious behaviors, discusses some of the reasons why adolescents practice self-injury and recommends six strategies that…

This study examined high school attitudes toward persons with physical and mental disabilities using a social distance scale. Results indicated that physical disabilities (e.g., ulcer, stomach disorder, heart disease, visual impairment, hearing impairment, spinal cord injure) were rated as most accepted (excluding HIV/AIDS) and mental disabilities…

This article presents a conceptualization of site supervision for school counselors-in-training (SCIT). This conceptualization is based on the premise that SCIT receive an experientially based internship rather than one premised solely on supervision theory. It is intended to be a tool from which counselor educators, site supervisors, and SCIT can…

Nutritional information followed by Chair-er-cise and a 20-minute cardio exercise to light hip-hop music was presented at a workshop at the Georgia School Counselors Conference Fall semester, 2006. As a follow-up to the conference presentation, during Spring semester 2007 data was collected from Cobb County School counselors to examine the health…